Protector for pianos.



' No. 814,544. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

W. HOSKIN & J. A. NOONAN.

PROTECTOR FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21 1905.

MW, WWI/1m ""111 UHIIHM..""'IIH UNITED OFFICE.

WILLIAM HOSKIN AND JAMES A. NOONAN, OF CENTRAL CITY, COLORADO.

PROTECTOR FOR PIANOS.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed September 21, 1905. Serial No. 279,475.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM HOSKIN and JAMES A. NOONAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Central City, in the county of Gilpin and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protectors for Pianos; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-' pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in uards, and more particularly toprotectors or pianos or other musical instruments.

The object in view is the sustaining in position of means for preventing injury to a musicalinstrument by the feet of the operator.

With this and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a piano provided with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention detached, the fabric covering being removed. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section through the lower portion of a piano, showing in elevation a structure embodying the present invention applied thereto. 7

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates any ordinary piano, to which the present improved guard or protector may be applied, said guard comprising a frame or base consisting of parallel bars 2 2, extending rearwardly and at their rear ends formed with hooks 3 3, said hooks being connected together by the connecting-rod 4. By preference the rods 2 and rod 4 are integral, and the hooks 3 3 are bent from the material constituting said rods 2 and 4 but of course the hooks may be formed independently of and secured to said rods, if preferred. Near the forward ends of the rods 2 2 the same are preferably bent into loops 5 5, through which is passed a transverse rod 6, said rod 6 being provided with a yoke or upwardly-bent portion 7 intermediate its length, the said yoke being arranged for permitting the extension therethrough of the operating-pedals 8 8 of the I iano or other musical instrument to whic the present improved guard is applied. The forward ends of the rods 2 2 are bent upwardly, as at 9 9, and for the sake of adding strength and rigidity the said ends are connected by a transverse rod 10, provided with eyes 1111, said rod 10 serving to prevent lat eral separation of the supporting-rods 2 2, whereby the parts are sustained in position. A frame 12 pivotally engages the rod 6 and is free to swing vertically transversely with re spect to the piano or other musical instrument 1. The frame 12 preferably consists of a rod formed with an eye at each end inclosing the rod 6 and bent intermediate its length into two curves each approximately semicircular, producing an intermediate approximately V-shaped opening, in which is wedged a block 13, of rubber or other suitable elastic material. A spring 14 is coiled about each end of the rod 6, and each of said springs has one of its ends engaging one side of the frame 12 and the other end engaging the corresponding end 9 of the respective bars 2, said springs exerting pressure on the frame 12 in a direc-. I

tion for swinging the said frame rearwardly. The frame 12 is covered with any suitable fabric 15.

In operation the present improved guard is applied to a piano or other musical instrument by positioning the hooks 3 3 about the rear transverse bar of the instrument, as indicated in Fig. 3, the rods 2 2 thus sustaining the frame 12 in position in front of the piano or other musical instrument about the point of the pedals 8 8, said pedals projecting a through the opening between the Walls of the yoke 7. If necessary, the upper portion of the yoke 7 may rest upon the pedals 8 8 for sustaining the parts in position; but the parts are comparatively light and are preferably sustained by the bars 2 2 through the snug engagement of the hooks 3 3 with the rear bar of the musical instrument. The springs 14 throw the frame 12 toward the musical instrument, and the cushioning-block 13 engages the front wall of said instrument, and the parts are thus sustained in an operative position. An operator applying his foot to one of the pedals 8 8 when the present improved guard is not applied might strike the front wall of the musical instrument and mar the same; but by the presence of the guard under discussion such operation is impossible, the fabric 15 preventing contact of the feet with the wall of the musical instrument. Thus the frame 12 and fabric carried thereby constitute a pivotally-mounted shield.

What we claim is 1. In a guard for musical instruments, the

combination of a base, a frame pivotally mounted thereon, a covering for said frame, a cushion carried by said frame and means for normally retaining said cushion in contact with said musical instrument.

2. A guard for musical instruments, comprising a base, a shield pivotally mounted thereon, a yoke-shaped part forming the lower side of said shield, and means for exerting a continuous pressure on said shield for holding the same in position.

3. A guard for musical instruments, comprising a base, a frame pivotally mounted thereon forming with a V-shaped recess on the upper side thereof, a cushionblock wedged in the said recess, fabric covering said frame, and means for holding said frame yieldingly in position.

4. A guard for musical instruments, comprising a base, a bar formed with a yokeshaped portion intermediate its length mounted thereon, a pivotally-mounted shield carried by said bar and means carried by the bar for normally pressing said shield for retaining the shield in operative position.

5. A guard for musical instruments, comprising a base, a bar formed with a yokeshaped portion intermediate its length mounted thereon, a pivotally-mounted shield carried by said bar and springs at each end of said bar engaging said shield and said base for normally pressing said shield for retaining it in position.

6. A guard for musical instruments, comprising supporting-rods, a transverse rod formed with a yoke-shaped portion intermediate its length connecting the supportingrods, a shield pivotally carried thereby, a spring connecting said rods and engaging said shield for normally holding the shield in position.

7. In a guard for musical instruments, the

combination of supporting bars, a hook formed on one end of each of said bars, and adapted to engage a part of a musical instrument for sustaining the parts in position and a pivotally-mounted shield carried by said bars and adapted to be disposed in front of said instrument.

8. A guard for musical instruments, comprising a base, a shield pivotally mounted thereon and positioned in front of said in strument, a spring pressing said shield, toward said instrument and a cushion-block carried by said shield for holding said shield out of contact with said instrument.

9. In a guard for musical instruments, the combination of a base, a fabric-covered frame pivotally mounted thereon, a rubber block carried by said frame and means for normally holding said frame in operative position.

10. A guard for musical instruments, comprising a base formed of a plurality of supporting-rods, a yoke-shaped transverse rod carried thereby and a pivotally-mounted shield carried by said transverse rod, said rod forming part of said shield-and sustained in position by a spring carried by said transverse rod.

1 1. A guard for musical instruments, comprising supporting-bars, a hook carried by each of said bars at the rear end thereof and formed integrally therewith, a rod connecting said hooks, a shield carried by the front end of said rods and means connecting the front ends of said rods for retaining the parts in position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM HOSKIN. JAMES A. NOONAN. WVitnesses:

M. T. GRIFFITH, ELMER RICHARDS. 

